


Learn From Yesterday, Live for Today, Hope for Tomorrow

by accordingtomel



Category: Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza RPF, Whose Line Is It Anyway? RPF
Genre: Friendship, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Making Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 15:34:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10789542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accordingtomel/pseuds/accordingtomel
Summary: Ryan and Colin reunite after an Improv-a-Ganza taping.





	Learn From Yesterday, Live for Today, Hope for Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my LJ in October of 2011. This was written for jie_jie.
> 
>  **Original A/N:** For the _Trick or Treat_ fest at [ wl_fanfiction](http://wl-fanfiction.livejournal.com/). Thanks so much to sungreen70 for the beta/feedback.

The pub is dark. At this late hour, only the most steadfast remain, some nearly passed out across the bar, some clearly headed in that direction, and still others dancing the night away as though nothing could hold them back. This isn’t the ideal venue for a reunion of sorts, Ryan has to admit, but it’s better than a crowded casino where they would be recognized and accosted. And it’s not that Ryan doesn’t appreciate his fans, because he does. But right now he appreciates his privacy more.

Ryan and Colin make their way to a table towards the back of the bar, tucked in a corner away from prying eyes. This isn’t quite how he imagined things would go, when he first heard about _Improv-a-Ganza_ from Drew. Truth be told, he hadn’t even known Colin was going to be doing the show at all until a few days beforehand, though why there was ever any question, he isn’t sure. Perhaps he never knew because secretly he never wanted to.

Silence fills the space between them, an odd mixture of tension and familiarity wrapped up in one. There are so many things he wants to say, so many things he doesn’t know how to verbalize just yet, but he thinks he should probably ease into it.

Unfortunately, as is the case more than he’d like to admit, Ryan’s mouth seems to have other plans.

“Today,” Ryan says, pitching his voice so low that Colin has to lean forward to hear him, “it felt right, you know? Us. Back on stage. Together.”

Ryan nearly cringes at his own stupidity, holding his breath as he waits to see how massively he’s just fucked things up. But Colin merely nods slowly, catching his gaze and holding it for several long moments. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Yeah, I know.”

“It's just...” Ryan continues, because apparently he’s suffering from foot-in-mouth syndrome right now, “Greg and Jeff and Chip. They're great; awesome guys. But—“ _They're not you. They're not us._ Ryan swallows, unable to put words to the thoughts tumbling around in his head.

It's been a long time. Far too long, despite the fact that they’ve gone upwards of a year before without seeing one another. Still, this time... Well, this time it’s different. So much has changed, and yet it feels as though nothing _truly_ has. And maybe there, maybe that’s where the folly lies, in thinking that everything is how it was, when it’s not. Perhaps it never can be again. It’s a potential Ryan doesn’t want to even consider.

“Brad,” Colin says, a knowing lilt to his tone. He tilts his head to the side, one finger tapping the tabletop. His eyes are distant now, thoughtful, but after several decades of friendship, it's still easy to decipher what's going on behind that carefully guarded expression. “You're right – it's not.”

Ryan smiles, gentle and, for the first time in a while, hopeful. He downs the rest of his drink in one go, relishing the burn as the alcohol slithers down his throat.

They’re good together. He’s always known it. They both have. Funny, though, how life has a way of getting in the way, interfering in the worst possible way. Ryan swallows the sudden, unwanted bitterness, pushing it back down where it belongs. Not here, not now.

Colin’s hand closes around the handle of his mug, and he takes a sip. “It’s good to see you again,” he says, meeting Ryan’s gaze. Colin opens his mouth, closes it again, then gives his head a little shake before adding, “I’ve missed you.”

Ryan swallows against the lump in his throat at those words, and it takes him several moments before he’s able to compose himself enough to throw out a casual, “Yeah. Yeah, me too.”

“Do you think, uh, that maybe—“ Ryan says, then forcibly stops himself. He has no right to ask this of Colin, not after everything that’s happened. He glances down at the table, ignoring the way his stomach twists uncomfortably all of a sudden and tries to pretend that he never opened his mouth at all.

“I think,” Colin starts, and Ryan’s eyes immediately dart up to examine the expression on his face. There is the faintest hint of a smile on Colin’s face as he watches Ryan intently. “I think,” he says again, eyes dark and serious, never leaving Ryan, “that that’s a definite possibility. I’d like to, I mean.”

For a second, Ryan thinks he must have heard wrong. But no... he’s certain that he didn’t.

The stupid grin on his face is probably all too revealing, but right now he doesn’t care. “Oh. Okay. That’s, um, that’s great. I’m glad.”

Colin smiles at him then, and Ryan finally feels himself relax.

They order another couple of drinks, and this time, Ryan can actually enjoy it. They have a long way to go, but at least now Ryan has the most important thing confirmed – the fact that there’s still hope – and it’s enough for him.


End file.
